One of the great benefits of being a legend in my own mind and completely neurotic
is that I can be honest with my fellow triode bros. Lets face it, survival is
not easy in todays world, and for a good reason...we have forgotten the ancient
wisdom of survival...

But, before I explore this subject let me make it plain that I hate mamby pamby whining
pussy whipped men who slog around complaining....."No one understands me",
especially meaning their significant other women who is defining his meaning and is
therefor in control of his life. Too many men rely on women to define their virtue and
self worth. How many of you worry if you can give a women an orgasm? Whats wrong
with this picture? Whats wrong is that men have lost their center; that part of
their creative being that constructs their own totem of authority. Of course this
doesnt apply to you because you are constructing your own totem...in the harmonic
dimension. Now that I have had that really satisfying expulsion of existential gas I can
continue.

A LESSON FROM LUCAS AND CHARLOTTE HENESY

Two of the masters in my life are Lucas and Charlotte Henesy, my god children.
Charlotte is eight and Lucas is ten, and they are my best teachers because they ground me
in the eternal and timeless pursuits of the human soul.

So, now it is time for me to remind you of an essential harmonic of your soul, one that
is as old as your DNA, and one that you have probably forgotten, though it is one of the
most satisfying the uplifting dimension of your creativity.

Do you remember the forts you built? Children build forts because humans are born fort
builders...both physically and metaphorically. What is more satisfying than taking a bunch
of chairs, small blankets and assorted pieces of furniture and constructing your own
special sanctuary?; a place of your own that you can share with your friends; a place that
feels so right, so safe, so you, and so not big enough for adults to intrude
upon....just like the one Charlotte built the last time I visited her. Charlotte was
rightfully so proud of her construction project. It was an enormous feat of creativity,
and she beamed when she showed me her work, and honored me by letting me enter it.

And I have seen Lucas busy at work constructing a special place in a tree that is far
enough off the ground to make his mother Lori, tremble with fear. What can feel better
than being up a tree with some friends on a warm summer day, just hanging out in our tree
house? This experience is so rich with pleasure and imagination that many adults build
tree houses and I have seen books on this subject and even television shows which show how
to build your own adult tree house.

We can not separate the joy of having our own fort from the creative process of
building, so that it is us; it is ours, it is a perfect expression of our fantasy world,
even if it is made of corrugated boxes. What is more important to our self esteem than
know we have the ability to protect our own soul? And of course America, which is heavily
invested in the Old West, is heavily invested in the romance, drama and heroism of Western
forts....with the army coming to the rescue just in time.

THIS OLD MUSIC FORT

What we know, and what the existentially impoverished of the audio industry
dont know, is that when we create a music system, especially those with our triodes,
we are constructing a fort...it is metaphoric, it has no material substance, but none the
less, it is our fort and it effects us in the same deep emotional way as our childhood
forts.

A man who is not building his own unique music fort is not only asking for trouble, he
is asking to be spiritually violated. He is asking for his boundaries to be violated by
not creating his own sanctuary...his own sanctum sanatorium of music....a place of safety
where his soul can grow,glow and explore new territories. Or, a place that protects the
tenderness of his heart from the brutality of the world.

There is a reason that women dont understand men. They are not supposed to. Women
may not understand your ancient need for a metaphoric dematerial music fort, and no
explanation will help her understand, in the same way you will not understand her swooning
over Chintz. In many cases when understanding is not possible, mutual respect does the
job.

SOME DETAILS OF FORT CONSTRUCTION

Dont be fooled by big stones or big amplifiers. Some of the biggest stone
forts quickly crumbled. Build your fort with your imagination. Your fort is your
imagination that is stirred by your music system.

Which brings me back to why I recommend that you build a piece of tube gear. Even if it
only has one tube in it. This is the process that creates the most efficient music fort,
because it is closest to the fort you created with your childs heart...and that is
the whole point of music forts....it is safe enough so that the mysterious child in you
comes out and plays, and shows you the way...shows you the music in your soul.